Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Sunderland: Match Report

17 January 2015 17:31
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Sunderland: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game as it happened.


Eriksen sinks Sunderland

Jermain Defoe was unable to continue his remarkable run of marking club debuts with a goal as Sunderland suffered a last-gasp defeat at former club Tottenham.

Just 11 months after leaving White Hart Lane for Toronto FC, the 32-year-old returned to his old stomping ground after completing a move to the north-east strugglers on the eve of this match.

Defoe received a warm reception in north London but left frustrated, with Christian Eriksen's late strike - his third in as many games against Sunderland - securing Spurs a 2-1 win in the dying minutes.

Mauricio Pochettino's side had looked like they would be frustrated as wayward finishing and an impressive display from Costel Pantilimon saw them struggle to add to Jan Vertonghen's early strike, which came via a large deflection off John O'Shea.

The Belgium international was soon back at the heart of the action, hacking down Defoe to give former Arsenal midfielder Sebastian Larsson the chance to curl home a wonderful equaliser.

That was Defoe's most telling contribution, as he failed to make Sunderland the sixth club with whom he marked his league debut with a goal.

The man who replaced him in the second half, Danny Graham, was twice was denied Hugo Lloris - chances which came either side of the match-winning 88th-minute strike by Eriksen.


Source: PA